


Chaos in the Library Aisles

by Shinigami24



Series: Detective Stiles [62]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Books, M/M, Mystery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-18
Updated: 2019-04-26
Packaged: 2020-01-15 18:01:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 4,403
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18504208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shinigami24/pseuds/Shinigami24
Summary: Strange occurrences and disturbances plague the local library. The detectives work to get some answers before the center of the community has to be closed.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Here's the next mystery. Sorry for the delay, but I got caught up with something else and it consumed my time.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bucky and Steve plan for the party.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the prologue for the next fic. I'll be swapping back to BSI and PoBOH. Ch 1 will have to wait until I get much further in PoBOH or finish BSI, whatever comes first.

**_Brooklyn Public Library;_ **

Udon was helping his fellow workers sort out the new books. A huge donation of books had been made to the library recently. The workers opened boxes and started to unpack the books carefully.

"Stack them in piles. We'll sort them later." their supervisor called.

* * *

**_the den, Rogers-Barnes place, Springbrooks Complex;  
_ **

Bucky and Steve had some alone time. They cuddled up on their sofa as they talked about upcoming events.

"That reminds me, Lottie's 9th birthday is coming up." Steve mentioned.

"Where should we hold it this year?" he asked.

"Well, she likes art & crafts, dressing up, reading, Disney princesses, and tea parties." Bucky responded.

"We already held parties at Heven and Color Me Mine, so someplace else please." Steve requested.

"We can go to the American Girl Shop. Lottie loves Samantha, Felicity, and some other girls' stories." Bucky offered.

"That would be wonderful." Steve smiled. Then they shared a kiss.

* * *

**_vague location;_ **

Elsewhere, a mystery person was besides themselves in panic. Their place was a total disaster, having been ransacked during their frantic search for a certain item. Sadly, they wasn't having much lucky finding the item.

'Where is it?!' they thought. They got up and paced the floor furiously.

'What am I going to do?!' they railed.


	2. Special

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The staff prepares for a new holiday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's ch 1. Ch 2-6 will be posted next.

**_Konohamaru's house;_ **

Udon met up with Ryan, Moegi, and their friends. They were happy to see each other. They were playing video games while talking.

"How is it going?" Ryan asked.

"The rare books arrived, so we are being very careful." Udon answered.

"That's great!" Konohamaru smiled.

"Yeah, we can't wait to take a look at them. We have many cool fiction books." Udon replied.

* * *

**_Rainbow Bookshop;  
_ **

Fingon and Maedhros were busy in their bookshop with Ryan. They were putting up a new display, it was themed Mardi Gras. They had books and bead necklaces on display. After they were done, they stepped back to look at the final result.

"Great job, team. Let's get working on a special menu for the cafe." Fingon said.

* * *

In the meantime, Peter and Chris went to a bistro for their lunch date. They ordered two roast dishes with rosemary fingerling potatoes. At the end of their lunch, Peter and Chris kissed softly.

* * *

After lunch, Sam and Steve held a therapy session for vets. They got the veteran session started. They were all a bit comfortable and there was a good turnout.

"Alright, let us begin." Sam declared.

* * *

**_Derek and Stiles' bedroom, Hale penthouse;  
_ **

Derek and Stiles had some alone time. It was their day off, so they hung out at home. They kissed softly. This moment was too perfect to pass up.


	3. Sort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something goes very wrong in the library.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's ch 2. Ch 3-6 will be posted next.

**_detective agency, 2rd floor of Springbrooks Community Center;_ **

It was an usual day at the agency. The detectives did paperwork, took calls, and updated the files. Skye and Hanabi even went downstairs, only to return with some leftover treats from the V-day's festivities. 

"Here's some cookies, cake pop, and soda!" they announced.

"Great!" they said as they got up and zeroed on the goodies.

* * *

That evening, the couples went to the movies. They brought tickets to 'Isn't It Romantic?' They got in line for snacks.

They brought buttered popcorn and put salt on top. They also got soda and candy. Then they headed to their assigned theatre. After arriving, they found their seats and sat down.

Within ten minutes, the movie started. From start to end, they were enraptured by the rom-com. They laughed and cried at certain parts. When the credits rolled, they left the theater, discussing the movie.

* * *

The next day, Elizabeth and Steve held a therapy session for the teens. The mood was mixed. Some were willing to cooperate, while others were reticent.

"How was your day?" Elizabeth asked, as she started the session. They all had varying reactions.

"One at a time." Steve said, holding up his hands.

"Let's start with you, Malik." they said.

* * *

**_Brooklyn Library;  
_ **

The library staff resumed sorting through the books. Udon and his fellow workers were assigned to set the books aside for a special display. They went to the bin that held the rare editions. To their horror, the bin was empty. 

"Um, Ms. Susan, the books aren't here. Where did they go?" they asked. Susan came over to take a look and all the hell broke loose...

* * *

**_the den, Rogers-Barnes place, Springbrooks Complex;  
_ **

****Bucky and Steve had some alone time. They cuddled up on the couch as they watched a sitcom. They laughed and cried at their favorite parts. When the credits rolled, they got up and shared a kiss.


	4. Help Wanted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The librarians go to the detectives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's ch 3. Ch 4-6 will be posted next.

**_detective agency, 2rd floor of Springbrooks Community Center;_ **

The detectives were updating their files when Udon and Spinel arrived. They were let in and shown a seat.

"What is it?" Stiles asked.

"I need help." Udon confessed. They looked to Spinel.

"I'm here for the same reason he is." Spinel explained.

"Explain." Derek requested. So they started to speak...

* * *

**_conference room, Springbrooks Community Center;  
_ **

Noshiko and the committee met in the conference room. Noshiko had a white board out. She wrote the titles of five musical plays; Wizard of Oz, Frozen, Annie, Sound of Music, and Matilda.

"We have five candidates. Now, we need to narrow down the list to three. We can pick which one later. Let's take a vote." she announced.

* * *

**_Panera Bread;  
_ **

Bucky and Steve went to Panera Bread for lunch. Steve had potato soup with a turkey bravo sandwich while Bucky opted for tomato basil soup with steak panini sandwich. They had regular coke to drink with their lunch and candy cookies for dessert.

They smiled and flirted over their meal. When they finished eating, they got up to clean. Then Bucky kissed Steve.

* * *

**_eating area, Hale penthouse, Springbrooks Complex;  
_ **

The Hale and Townsend families plus Chris, Isaac, and Danielle got together for a family dinner. Dinner consisted of spaghetti & meatballs, garlic bread, and house salad.

They laughed and talked about their respective days. It was a nice break from the stress.

* * *

Meanwhile, Derek and Stiles went out to a steakhouse for their dinner date. They were shown to a table. They sat down and ordered a hearty meal.

Derek had steak with a baked potato and broccoli. Stiles ordered a loaded potato soup with house salad. They both got regular coke. They laughed and talked over their meal. When they were waiting for the bill, they shared a kiss.


	5. Appraise

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The detectives talk to Grace about the books.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's ch 4. Ch 5-6 will be posted next.

Derek, Stiles, the twins, Hanabi, and Isaac began their investigation. They met with Grace.

"You appraised the books, correct?" Hanabi asked.

"Yes, they are rare first editions. And they are worth over a hundred dollars, depending on the edition." Grace explained.

"Are they authentic?" Derek asked.

"Yes, I checked them." came the reply.

"What kind of titles?" Isaac asked curiously. Grace checked her list.

"Some of the titles were; The Cat in the Hat, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, The Hound of the Baskervilles, The Gutenberg Bible, Where the Wild Things Are. Some of those first editions were signed." Grace answered.

"Really! No wonder they got stolen." Hanabi replied. They thanked Grace for her help before leaving.

* * *

In the meantime, Malia and Kira went on a date to a bistro. They ordered salads and sandwiches. They laughed as they discussed their respective days. It was a nice break from the stress. After lunch ended, they shared a sweet kiss.

* * *

**_kitchen, Rogers-Barnes place, Springbrooks Complex;_ **

Bucky and Steve bonded with their children. They baked cookies. The older kids helped the adults gather the ingredients. Then they mixed them together. After Steve put the tray in the oven, he let the kids lick the spoon and bowl.

"Yummy!" the twins chorused.

* * *

Elsewhere, a group of people met up for lunch; Jack, Isla, Oliver, and Amelia. They eyed each other carefully.

"Why did you call this meeting?" Isla wanted to know.

"We need to have an important discussion." Oliver replied.

"Talk." Jack said. So they started to talk...

* * *

**_Shuichi's place, New York City;  
_ **

Shuichi talked on the phone with Rei. They were catching up with each other.

"I miss you." Rei confessed.

"The feeling is very much mutual. I'm returning for a few days next month. Expect me for White Day." Shuichi smiled.

"That's wonderful!" Rei brightened. They talked until it grew late. Then they said goodbye before hanging up.


	6. Look Into

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Spinel helps the detectives.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's ch 5. Ch 6 will be posted next.

**_detective agency, 2rd floor of Springbrooks Community Center;_ **

The detectives met with Spinel. Spinel provided them with a list of people to look into.

"Thank you." the detectives said.

"You're welcome." Spinel smiled as he left. Then the detectives at down to go over their suspect list. They took out pictures and put them on the white board.

"Okay, we have Jack, Amelia, Isla, and Oliver." they said.

"Oliver and Amelia are part of the same family that donated the books." Isaac mentioned.

"What about Isla and Jack? What part does they play?" Stiles wanted to know.

"I haven't been able to find out their connection yet." Masumi answered.

"Look some more. Check their backgrounds, finances, and any criminal records." Derek commanded. Then they split up to resume their investigation.

* * *

That evening, the couples went to a music concert for their group date. They listened to the band play. They had fun dancing in the mosh pit. It was the perfect date.

* * *

The next day, Isaac, Camden, and Zack went to their usual pizzeria. They ordered pizza, bread sticks, and sofa. They sat down to catch up. They smiled as they talked. It was wonderful to see each other again.

* * *

**_living room, Rogers-Barnes place, Springbrooks Complex;_ **

Bucky and Steve hosted a family reunion. Bucky's parents and sisters were in attendance. Becca brought her husband and children. After they finished greeting each other, the kids ran off to play. The adults sat down to catch up.

* * *

**_master bedroom, Rogers-Barnes place;_ **

After their relatives had left, Bucky and Steve had some alone time. They cuddled up.

"We need to send the invitations for Lottie's party soon." Steve was saying.

"Have you figured out what kind of food to serve?" Bucky wanted to know.

"Tea with cake and cookies." Steve replied.

"Excellent." Bucky beamed, then they resumed cuddling.


	7. What We Have

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The detectives go through progress.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's ch 6. Ch 7-10 will be posted later. Sorry for the delay, I just ran out of time.

The detectives met with Spinel and Grace to discuss their progress.

"We're trying to track the books. We need some more details on them." Isaac was saying.

"We can give what we have." Grace and Spinel replied.

"We're going to speak with Udon and his boss." Stiles said as he dragged Derek out. Spinel and Grace sat down with Isaac and Masumi. Hanabi and Jimmy resumed their investigation.

"Here's what we have..." Grace started.

* * *

While Grace and Spinel were sharing their findings, Hanabi and Jimmy met with the suspects; Jack, Oliver, Isla, and Amelia to take their statements.

"Where were you from Friday evening to Sat morning? Between 10PM-6AM?" they asked. The quartet all had different answers. Sadly, their answers proved to be rather vague.

"We'll follow up." Jimmy promised as they left.

* * *

**_Panera Bread;_ **

Bucky and Steve went to Panera Bread for their lunch date. They ordered fruit smoothies, soup, and salads. They had chocolate chip cookies. They smiled as they flirted over their meals. When they finished up with lunch, Steve kissed Bucky on the cheek and smiled.

* * *

**_dining room, Hale penthouse, Springbrooks Complex;_ **

****The families plus Isaac, Stiles and Danielle gathered for dinner. Dinner was salmon, rice, broccoli, and rolls. They smiled and talked over their dinner about their respective days. It was nice to be together as a family. After they finished eating, Rose brought in v-day cookies for dessert.

* * *

Peter and Chris went out to an Italian restaurant. They had bread sticks for appetizers. Then they ordered soup or salad. Peter opted for a meat lasagna while Chris got angelhair pasta with white sauce and shrimp. They smiled and flirted over their meal. As they waited for the bill, Peter kissed Chris hard.


	8. Possession

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The villains get mad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's ch 7 finally! Ch 8-10 will be posted next.

The detectives resumed their investigation. They discovered the connections between Jack and Isla and the case. Isla was a secretary for the Chubb Group while Jack worked for the same firm Grace did.

"What are they up to?" Jimmy wanted to know.

"Good question." Stiles declared. They traded looks. Good question indeed.

* * *

**_vague location;_ **

The thief looked at a shelf that held the first editions. They harbored mixed feelings. Joy and glee mixed with anger and rage. They were overjoyed at having the books that belonged to them in their possession. The anger came from those pesky detectives refusing to let things go.

'Damn them! Those books are mine!' they thought. They paced the floor furiously, all the while trying to come up with a plan to get those pests to go away. In the end, they came up with an idea and sat down to formulate a plan...

* * *

The couples went to the movies for their group date. They brought tickets to How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World. After gaining attendance with their ticket stubs, they got in line for snacks.

Putting butter and salt on their popcorn buckets, they got their choice of soda and candy. Then they went to the correct theatre and found their seats.

"I can't wait to see Toothless!" Liam exclaimed. They sat down and watched as the movie started. The bright colors and action had them captivated from start to end.

They booed Grimmel and awwed at Toothless and his mate.

"How adorable!" Erica smiled. The ending had them in tears. As the credits rolled, they left the theater discussing the film.

* * *

**_BounceU;  
_ **

Bucky and Steve took their kids to Open Bounce at BounceU; an indoor amusement park for children. There were bounce houses, slides, combos, obstacle courses, an inflatable ball pit, and an inflatable basketball hoop.

The kids were all over the place. Drew and Aurora dragged their dads in the toddler section. Zack was trying out one of the obstacle course, while the twins tried out the combos. Lottie went on the slides.

The kids had so much fun. Bucky and Steve exchanged smiles, objective achieved.

* * *

That evening, Bucky and Steve had some alone time. The kids were in bed. The outing had worn them out, so the parents could have a break.

Bucky and Steve headed upstairs to their bedroom. They put on pajamas and got in bed to do some light reading before it was time for lights out. They shared a kiss and smiled.


	9. Those Kids

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The villains get impatient.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's ch 8. Ch 9-10 will be posted next.

A few days later, the detectives' investigation had bore fruit. While they were still trying to find the boojs, they had discovered that all four suspects had motive and opportunity. Sadly, they ran into an unexpected obstacle.

"Wonderful, how are we going to narrow down the list?!" Konohamaru groused.

"They refuse to cooperate." Jimmy added.

"We must be on the right track. Otherwise we wouldn't have gotten this." Stiles said as he held up a death threat letter.

"It's official. The thief has to be one of those four." Masumi declared.

"Yes, and we need to figure out which one." Derek finished.

* * *

About two hours later, Jack, Oliver, Isla, and Amelia met up for tea. They were all on edge and at their wits' end.

"What do we do?!" Isla gestured.

"Those kids aren't going away." Amelia spoke sourly as she sipped her tea.

"We need to do something." Jack sighed.

"I think I have an idea." Oliver spoke up. They huddled together as Oliver explained his idea.

* * *

Meanwhile, Bucky and Steve went to a diner for their lunch date. They ordered burgers, fries, and soda. They laughed as they talked about their respective days. After they had finished eating their lunch, they grabbed the dessert menu. After a brief look, they decided on a banana split. As they dug in, they shared a brief kiss and smiled.

* * *

**_Chelsea Piers Sports Center;_ **

Udon, Moegi, Ryan, and their friends went to a sports complex. They split up and went to their preferred activities. Most of the teens opted to try out rock climbing. Several had fun trying out the parkour course.

Afterwards, they split up and went to play either soccer, basketball, or hockey. Some opted for the batting cages. To round off their visit, they all met back up for bowling.

* * *

**_Derek and Stiles' bedroom;_ **

Derek and Stiles had some alone time. They cuddled up. They relaxed into the bed as they enjoyed the closeness and warmth. They needed this.


	10. Dead End

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The detectives are stuck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's ch 9. Ch 10 will be posted next, then I'm switching to MM.

A few days later, the suspect list had been narrowed down. They were now down to two suspects; Oliver and Amelia. Isla and Jack had been cleared. Sadly, for each step forward, there were two steps back. And they were running out of leads.

* * *

Bucky and Steve had some alone time. They cuddled up together as they watched a sitcom. They smiled as they relaxed and enjoyed themselves. When the credits rolled, they got up and went to cook lunch.

* * *

**_detective agency, 2rd floor of Springbrooks Community Center;_ **

The detectives had a meeting to discuss their progress. They were frustrated.

"We're at a dead end!" Jimmy shouted.

"We need to set a trap. It's our only option." Stiles sighed. So they huddled together to formulate a plan...

* * *

**_Brooklyn Library;_ **

Ryan, Alicia, and Mason took their younger siblings and the Rogers-Barnes kids to the annual library book sale. Ryan and Mason took the eight school aged children to the kids' section. Alicia had Aurora in her charge and they were looking at board books. Zack, Daniel, and Carmen went off on their own to the Teens section.

A hour later, they met back up. Carmen, Zack, and Daniel already had their own bags. Alicia, Mason, and Ryan were trying to coax their charges to choose. Aurora was looking at Disney and Berenstein Bears.

Drew was all over the place from Magic School Bus to Letters From Felix. Lottie had her own stack of older American Girls books. Wanda was nearly done deciding, she was looking at the American Girl Mysteries. She already had some Nancy Drew books in her own pile. Pietro and Benny were having problems deciding. Janet held up Rainbow Magic, Junie-Jones, and Magic Tree House books.

"I want those." she promptly declared.

"Can you read them?" Mason asked in surprise. Ryan looked over.

"She's really smart and is in the advanced readers' group." she reassured.

"Okay, but pick five, remember." Mason warned.

"You can only have three books." Alicia informed Aurora. The kids pouted before they sat down to choose.

* * *

That evening, the detectives staked out the library. They found hiding places and settled in to wait. Thirty minutes later, footsteps could be heard. All too soon, the thief walked into the offices and headed for a certain desk.

They reached the desk and pulled open drawers and searched around. They found a note and turned to go.

"Gotcha." Jimmy declared.


	11. Hog Tied

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The detectives corner the suspect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's ch 10. Ch 11-the epi will be posted next.

**_staff offices;_ **

There was palpable tension in the room. Oliver was shaking with anger.

"They should have stayed out of it!" he shouted, referring to the library staff.

"Theft is a major crime. Of course, we are going to be on to you." came the reply. Oliver glowered at them.

"You should have left well enough alone." Oliver fumed.

* * *

Several tense minutes passed before Oliver broke and confessed.

"Those books belonged to me!" he proclaimed.

"Now you will pay." he finished.

"No, Oliver. You will pay!" Masumi declared.

"We'll see." came the reply.

* * *

**_staff offices;_ **

The detectives and Oliver faced off. They stared each other down before starting to fight, using their fists.

"You are outnumbered." Stiles pointed out. In reply, Oliver changed tactics. He pushed chairs over.

"We'll see about that!" he exclaimed as he turned and promptly ran for it, sweeping things off the desk and throwing things behind him.

"I'm still getting out of here!" he called as he fled the offices.

* * *

**_Brooklyn Library;_ **

Oliver fled the offices and the detectives instantly gave chase. They chased him through the library. In the end, they tripped Oliver up in the non fiction section. Oliver went sprawling. They proceeded to hog tie Oliver. The police arrived soon after.

* * *

Meanwhile, Scott and Allison went bowling. Allison led all the way through before winning. The couple kissed as they shared cheese nachos afterwards.


	12. Booking

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The police take in the criminal.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's ch 11. Ch 12-the epi will be posted next.

The police were booking Oliver. They fingerprinted and photographed him. Oliver pulled at his restraints. He scowled in the camera. Then he was escorted to the cells by Lance and Bobbi.

"I demand my lawyer!" Oliver shouted.

"Call all you want, we have you dead to rights." Bobbi replied.

* * *

The next morning, the library staff and Spinel were relieved when the detectives brought a box full of books to the library. 

"Here's your books back. I think we have everything. But it won't hurt to check." Jimmy was saying.

"We intend to." Susan replied as a couple of members carried the box to a table. Then they started to remove books from the box carefully.

"We'll be checking them thoroughly." they promised.

* * *

**_a bistro;_ **

Derek and Stiles went to a bistro for their lunch date. they got sandwiches and soup. They had regular coke to drink. They smiled and flirted over their meal. When they had finished, Derek kissed Stiles.

* * *

**_dining room, Hale penthouse, Springbrooks Complex;_ **

The families plus Chris, Isaac, Stiles, and Danielle got together for dinner. Dinner was roast beef sandwiches, potato chips, and house salad. They had milk to drink with their meal.

They talked about their days and future plans. It was a nice break from their day. When dinner finished, they got up to help clean.

* * *

**_master bedroom, Rogers-Barnes place, Springbrooks Complex;  
_ **

****Bucky and Steve had some alone time. The kids were in bed, so the parents could relax. They cuddled up in their bed. Bucky and Steve shared a sweet kiss.


	13. Display

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The library has a surprise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's ch 12. The epi will be posted next, then I'm switching to MM.

Bucky and Steve hosted a reunion at their place. Bucky's extended family and Sarah were there. The grandparents brought presents for the kids. After they finished exchanging hugs, the kids ran off to play, while the adults sat down to catch up.

* * *

**_MET museum, Manhattan;  
_ **

The couples went to the MET for their group date. They toured the museum and marveled at everything. They enjoyed revisiting their favorite artwork and enjoyed viewing the new exhibits. It was a fun date.

* * *

**_Brooklyn Library;_ **

The detectives were invited to the opening ceremony at the library. The library unveiled their new book display of rare books. The library board president stood up and made a speech.

"We dedicate the book display to the Hale detective agency. If not for their hard work, we wouldn't be here today." he announced. Everyone stood up and clapped. The detectives blushed before thanking them.

"It's no problem." they said.

* * *

The next day, Spinel, Udon, and Susan visited the detectives.

"We are here to thank you for helping us." they said.

"We are happy to help." Derek replied. Udon then handed them an envelope. They opened it to find VIP passes.

"You can use them for special events, that the library have in the future." Susan explained. They were awestuck.

"Wow!" Jimmy was giddy.

"Thank you." the detectives smiled. Then the trio took their leave.

* * *

**_Shuichi's apartment;  
_ **

Shuichi was talking on the phone with Rei. They caught up with each other.

"And they got the rare books back. The library were grateful. We got VIP passes to future events. Shinichi really loves them." Shuichi was saying.

"Sounds fun." Rei said in a wistful tone.

"I know. I miss you too. I have an idea that just might solve both of our problems." Shuichi responded.

"What is it?" Rei wanted to know.

"Well, here goes..." Shuichi started.


	14. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The families spend time together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the epi. I'll be switching to MM next. Shuichi's idea won't be revealed just yet. You have to wait until the next fic; MM for that. But you are welcome to try guessing.

The families plus Chris, Danielle, Isaac, and Stiles got together for brunch. Bruce consisted of potato and casseroles respectively, bagels and cream cheese, fruit salad, french toast, cinnamon rolls and chocolate chip muffins. There were orange juice and milk to drink in addition to water and coffee.

The mood was merry as they talked about their plans for the day. When brunch ended, they got up to clean up.

* * *

**_den, the Rogers-Barnes place, Springbrooks Complex;  
_ **

Bucky and Steve sat their children down in the den with a stack of books. The books came from the library book sale.

"Pick your favorite book and we'll read them." Bucky announced. The kids scrambled for the books. Aurora picked; The Berenstain Bears and the Sitter, while Drew opted for Letters From Felix: A Little Rabbit on World Tour. Pietro wanted a Merlin Mission book; Christmas in Camelot, while Wanda chose Secret of the Old Clock, a Nancy Drew book. Lottie opted for Meet Molly, while Zack wanted Hardy Boys Case Files: Dead on Target.

After Bucky and Steve read the summary of Dead on Target, the parents looked at Zack and raised their eyebrows. Then they shook their heads.

"This is too adult for the younger kids, especially Drew and Aurora." Steve declared.

"Do you want really Lottie to be triggered?" Bucky added. Zack huffed,

"Fine! Can you read this instead?" he asked as he held up The Tower Treasure.

"Yes." they replied.

"We are going in order from youngest to oldest." Steve said as he picked up Berenstain Bears and the Sitter. He opened the book to the first page and started to read...

* * *

While Bucky and Steve were reading to their children, the couples went to a food festival for their group date. There were dishes from all over the world. There were tacos, fruit smoothies, lemon ice, ice cream, shepherd's pie, treacle tart, Yorkshire pudding, burgers, curry, and many more. 

They went from booth to booth, sampling the many delicious dishes.

"Delicious!" Erica beamed. It was the perfect date.

* * *

**_den, Hale penthouse, Springbrooks Complex;_ **

Peter and Chris skyped with Allison and Malia. They sat down and caught up with each other.

"I miss you." they all said.

"I can't wait for spring break!" Malia cheered. They smiled as they continued to chat.

* * *

**_master bedroom, Rogers-Barnes place, Springbrooks Complex;  
_ **

The kids were either fast asleep or reading in bed, so Bucky and Steve were in their bedroom. They sipped on juice to soothe their sore throats.

After finishing their juice and putting the glasses away, they relaxed into the bed. Bucky and Steve spooned as they cuddled.

The detectives had solved another successful case. The books were back where they belonged. Now, they were ready for the case that came their way. Hopefully, it didn't prove to be nerve wracking as the phantom one.


End file.
